Andrew Swift’s journey in country music hasn’t been a long one, but it’s sure been an impressive one. After playing a rock/pop band “Race the Fray” since 2000, it was in 2015 during the Tamworth Country Music Festival that Andrew realised his true passion was Country music. His first Country single was “Sound the Alarm” which reached #20 on the Australian Country radio charts. In 2017, Andrew placed runner-up in the iconic Toyota Starmaker competition, the launchpad for some of Australia’s biggest talent including Lee Kernaghan, Beccy Cole, Travis Collins, Kaylee Bell and of course Keith Urban, which propelled him to the next level of his career.
2018 saw the release of his debut country album “Call out for the Cavalry”, which sent to #1 on the ARIA Australian Country Album charts. Produced by ARIA award winning Matt Fell, the album featured ten songs including “Fire & Ice” with Catherine Britt. It was a powerful message to the country music community and showed that Andrew Swift was here to make his mark. In 2019 Andrew’s hard work paid off when he took home the Golden Guitars for Qantas New Talent of the Year and Alternative Country Album of the Year.
Since the release of “Call out for the Cavalry”, Andrew hit the road and has been touring non-stop. He appeared at the Caravan Park Country Music Showcase and Country music festivals across the country, including his standout performance as part of the stellar line-up for C2C Australia in 2019.
It was announced earlier this year that Andrew would be joining the family at Australia’s leading country music record label ABC Music. Joining forces again with Matt Fell on a new album, the first single ‘Never Meant to Break Your Heart’ was released in June with the official video, which you can check out here:
If Andrew’s first single is anything to go by, we can expect a sophomore album as special as his Country debut. We recently caught up with Andrew to see what he’s been up to while in Quarantine:
I compromise, I get dressed but in a comfy old tee & a hoodie. You’ve gotta be comfortable.
Marble chocolate. Cadbury really stitched me up by bringing back Marble just in time for iso.
I’m in the middle of a year-long break from drinking, not ideal for iso. I have been enjoying the occasional non-alcoholic beer though. Boring, I know.
I’ve been doing a lot more cooking during isolation, I guess because I’ve been home more and have had time to put some effort in.
I’ve just finished ‘The Sinner’ and then lightening things up by binging ‘8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown’.
Probably either The Wolfe Brothers or Travis Collins on one of their Friday night streams.
I’ve really been getting a lot of laughs from Bert Kreischer on Instagram during the pandemic.
The last gig for me, both attending and performing at was the Mornington Country Music Festival. I flew to the states the next day and then had to turn around a week later and come back to quarantine and isolation.
I don’t think it’ll matter too much, just seeing some live music in person will be amazing. I know I’m itching to play a gig the first chance I get.
Quarantine has taught me that having a break isn’t a bad thing. I think I’m a bit of a workaholic and didn’t realise I needed a break and to focus on some other areas of my life for a while.